For an old venture capitalist, it was a good day
Since taking office, Governor Mitt Romney has issued scores of proclamations, setting aside days, and sometimes full months, to honor a person or cause. There was Ronald Reagan Day on Feb. 6, Massachusetts Centennial of Flight Day on Dec. 17, and Massachusetts Maple Month one March.
Romney has made 267 proclamations this year, 44 in September. But on Tuesday he earmarked a day for an industry near and dear to his heart: Venture Capitalist Day.
In his proclamation, the governor -- a former venture capitalist -- stated that all citizens of the Commonwealth should ''applaud the efforts of the many individuals who make entrepreneurship possible," and commended those investors' efforts ''to support economic development in Massachusetts."
As it turns out, the proclamation was a kind of consolation prize.
Romney had been invited to speak Tuesday at a meeting of venture capitalists organized by an old friend of his, Joseph W. Bartlett. A Boston native and longtime lawyer to venture and buyout firms, Bartlett was an investor in the first fund at Bain Capital, a firm Romney founded in 1984. Bartlett now runs VC Experts Inc. of New York.
Romney couldn't make the event at 60 State St. this week, and dispatched his secretary of economic development, Ranch Kimball, to the breakfast in his place. He also offered to name the day for VCs, Bartlett said.
Bartlett downplayed his personal connection to the governor in securing the proclamation.
''We believe in the same things," said Bartlett, a self-described ''dyed-in-the-wool Democrat." ''The only way we're going to create the millions of jobs that both Kerry and Bush are talking about is with innovative companies."
Shawn Feddeman, a spokeswoman for Romney, said Bartlett's firm filed the required application to request the proclamation. In it, Romney cited VC Experts and the sponsor of the meeting, the law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr.
Other than a day of glory, the benefits of the proclamation are few. ''You get the piece of paper," Feddeman said, ''in a blue folder."
Beth Healy can be reached at bhealy@globe.com.
